The Duke of Cambridge has finished up royal duties ahead of time to be closer to Kate
William, 32, has been busy training as an air ambulance helicopter pilot in Norfolk and was scheduled to stay at the couple’s country home, Anmer Hall, in the days leading up to the birth of his second child.
However, Us Weekly reports the Prince has finished his training early, which leaves him free to return to London to be with Catherine as she prepares for the arrival of Prince George’s royal sibling.
Prince William had originally planned to have two weeks’ paternity leave after the birth, and now that he has finished this stage of the training even earlier, he’ll have a full six weeks off to coincide with the birth.
“The Duke of Cambridge has completed the first phase of his in-work air ambulance helicopter pilot training with Bond Air Services earlier than anticipated,” a palace spokesperson told Us Weekly.
“This is due to a combination of The Duke performing well in the various modules and having very good flying conditions that allowed flight training and assessment to progress more quickly than had been planned.”
The happy news means Prince William will be able to rejoin Catherine and little Prince George sooner than expected!
Meanwhile, as the world waits with bated breath for the second royal baby, experts are predicting the little royal could be worth up to $1.5 billion to the British economy if she is a girl.
Professor Joshua Bamfield of the Centre for Retail Research thinks there will be “an immediate boost of around GBP$80m when the baby is born”, spent largely on souvenirs commemorating the royal birth.
Much like her stylish mum, a little Princess could also spark new fashion trends as she grows up. Coupled with public appearances, this could total almost $150 million for the economy, according to The Telegraph, with fashion retailers getting the most benefit.
